3D position tracking

3D tracking is the tracking of an object's position, orientation, or pose in a three-dimensional space.

3D tracking can be done in a number of ways, including electromagnetic tracking and camera-based tracking.

Methods of camera-based tracking include SLAM and VIO.

In general, tracking is either 3DOF tracking or 6DOF tracking.

Methods

• Camera-based tracking - This is used on the Oculus Quest and Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro. This is used by the Intel T261 used in the Project North Star. An open source method is Basalt.
• Electromagnetic tracking. Electromagnetic tracking requires an external source. It gets jittery when there is metal around, like a metal laptop computer. Magnetic tracking is typically wired, but it does not have to be.
• UWB tracking
• Mechanical tracking
• Inertial tracking
• Acoustic tracking

History

3D tracking has been used for motion capture for 3D animated movies.

The 3DOF regime of cheap tracking was embraced by Oculus VR with the original Oculus Rift. The CV1 of the Oculus Rift used (and the DK2) constellation tracking, which is a complex method of 6DOF tracking added on to a robust 3DOF system.